Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-264146 discloses an externally developed airbag device for protecting pedestrians or the like that prevents the pedestrians or the like from directly colliding against a “A” pillar by inflating the airbag along the right and left “A” pillars of a motor vehicle.
According to the Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication, when a collision with a pedestrian or the like is sensed, a gas generator discharges gas to inflate the airbag. The airbag pushes open a rear end of an engine bonnet or hood and comes out to the exterior of the vehicle, and then upwardly inflates along the right and left “A” pillars to cover the “A” pillars.
According to an externally developed airbag device disclosed in the above-described Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-264146, the airbag during the inflation process or after the inflation process is likely to deviate from the front of the “A” pillars.